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The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) welcomes the announcement today by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and Ontario Government to offer contracts to 19 new wind energy projects that would add 1,018 MW of new wind energy capacity to the Ontario grid. Located in the Bruce region and in the area west of London, these new wind projects mean that Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program is now facilitating development of more than 3,175 MW of new wind energy projects to provide clean electricity to power Ontario families and businesses.

"These new wind energy facilities will deliver well-paying jobs in construction, manufacturing and operations & maintenance, drive much-needed economic investment to rural communities, and provide new, clean and affordable electricity for all Ontarians," said CanWEA president Robert Hornung. "The Green Energy Act and its groundbreaking Feed-in Tariff program have made Ontario one of the most attractive markets for renewable energy in North America and around the world. The announcement today means that well over a billion dollars in new private sector investment will flow directly into Ontario at a time when we are competing globally for new investment."

Each 100 MW of new wind energy capacity in Ontario represents over 250 jobs per year during the development phase and 18 permanent operations & maintenance jobs, many in rural areas of the province. Nearly $270 million in total private sector investment, including over $41 million in payments to landowners and municipalities will be made over the life of each 100 MW of wind energy capacity.

Once again we are spending money on projects that provide short term gain for long term pain – Where in our energy platform indicates we need additional wind power . Ontario already has the highest electricity costs and continue to drive manufacturing jobs to other areas. The Fraser Institutes latest numbers show that Ontario Share of Manufacturing has declined close to 3.0%
We are all aware of the mistakes made with spending for smart meters; gas plants and the plethora of ‘green programs’
It is long overdue for the government to focus on job creation – not spending money in energy schemes